Billy Ray Cyrus has broken his silence over his daughter Miley's controversial performance the MTV VMAs last month.

In an interview on CNN's Piers Morgan Live, Billy Ray seemed to play down the controversy by saying: 'She's an artist. She's real.'

Piers - who gushed to the Achy Breaky Heart singer about being a fan of his daughter - asked how he felt about the performance, that saw her gyrating up against Robin Thickie and suggestively waving a foam finger.

His verdict: Miley's father Billy Ray Cyrus has spoken to Piers Morgan about his daughter's MTV VMAs performance

But Billy Ray said his daughter Miley has 'risen to a whole new level' since her performance at bash.

He explained: 'I think that what's happened over the years, Miley has been
reinventing her sound. She's evolving as an artist herself. I think that
all of what everyone is calling controversy now, that's still my
Miley.'

The 52-year-old country singer added that he is proud of his daughter despite the overtly raunchy performance - and thinks the former Hannah Montana star is trying to leave her Disney image behind.

Facing the music: Billy asked a series of questions by Piers Morgan, who told him that he was a big fan of his daughter Miley Cyrus

He said: 'Miley's smart enough to know that to come out of the shadows of Hannah Montana, it really takes something extremely drastic, which when you go to that level, it creates passion, and passion is either love or hate. But there's no middle of the road for passion.

'She has risen to a whole new level. I thought I had seen it all - until these last couple of weeks.'

Billy thinks the 20-year-old Wrecking Ball hitmaker is a 'real artist' and despite the criticism she has faced in recent weeks she will always be 'my Miley.'

Ever since Miley stepped out on to the stage the young star has been subject to widespread ridicule.

Yesterday, singer Cher was forced to backtrack after her commented on the star.

Although she has now apologised, Cher had said of the performance: 'It was so bad. I'm not old-fashioned. She could have come out naked, and if she'd just rocked the house, I would have said, "You go, girl." It just wasn't done well.